As a youngster, I would get home from School, get changed and go out to play with my pals.
Now I'm older, I get home from work, get changed and go out to play with my pals, but now I call it training.
Monday, May 31, 2010
I'm itching to go running fast
10 miles this morning. Legs are still a bit battered from descents earlier in the weekend so pretty easy pace, didn't time it. Actually I didn't run the proper 10 mile route - I went a slightly different way which was a little bit further. I also ran/jogged/walked for about an hour with Scamp prior to my proper run so not a bad day for mileage though no effort input really. Tomorrow will be reps as usual - don't know what format yet.
Back home I had a dozen different tasks needing attention in the garden and many more inside the house. I couldn't really be bothered with any of them. I watered the tomatoes so they wouldn't die then spent time napping in the hammock Janet bought me for Christmas. (very comfy). The sun went behind a cloud and I finally found a bit of motivation to get on with a spot of tidying up. But it didn't take much to see me stop again to blog my latest thoughts.
I'm just feeling a bit aimless really. I know I planned this period between London marathon and the beginning of the next training phase to be an informal period of training but I keep thinking back to 2009 when I had my 40th birthday route to plan (and run) then the 50 mile event. Both big milestones. Both the furthest/longest I had ever covered.
So what now? What new challenge for 2010? Run even further? I have been looking at the Hadrians Wall path - its 85 miles and fairly flat - finishes only 15 miles or so from home. Most days I see people walking the route as it uses a bit of my 10mile route through the park to Crosby. A definite possible, although I have never heard about anyone running it before.
Iain Kelly has the intention of doing the Cumbrian Traverse later in the summer, possibly early July. This would fit in very well at the end of my informal training period whilst helping my endurance base as I begin the long runs that comprise road marathon training.
And what about the Bob? Well it's a definite NO for this year. To be honest I don't have an overriding yearning to do it, though since Saturday I have given some thought to how I would go about it and a largely unsupported round would be my preference. ie - do legs one and two alone(with food stashed) then arrange for someone to accompany me from Dunmail, halfway to Wasdale and (presuming I was looking good for a completion) ask if they'd mind awfully going to Honister before they went home. That's probably a ridiculous notion. It would certainly require me to have gained an unprecedented knowledge of all 42 tops as well as to have become a proficient navigator. Not actively working on these areas currently, it's all very much pie in the sky. For me the BGR would be about proving my physical ability to complete the round so sometimes I think about letting technology take the strain and getting a GPS to 'guide' me. Not sure if Iain and Stu would ever go running with me again after that though!
Sunday, May 30, 2010
But this will make me slower
Stop the presses - hold the back page - drop the dead donkey.
Stu Stoddart has completed the Bob Graham Round in 21hrs 07 minutes!!!
Well done Cowboy, great achievement.
Saturday came far too early - 5am I was up. 6am left the house. 6:45 arrived at Keswick to be given a lift to Dunmail Raise where I was to meet Stu as he finished leg 2.
We didnt have long to wait as he was ahead of schedule and looking good as he lead his overnight pacers down off Seat Sandal. No sooner had he sat down than we were off again, the stiff climb of Steel Fell a tough opening
to this middle section of the round which includes Englands highest point. Stu had some trouble with cramp in his legs but despite this we stuck to the schedule he had prepared for himself, even knocking off a minute or two on occasional summits. The cramp must have gone away (or he just stopped moaning on a bout it) because when he was striding out up the gentle slopes he was really moving quite fast - certainly faster than I could comfortably walk and I was forced to do the odd little jog to keep up. The steep hills were a different matter and by Bowfell he was having a real bad spell. This was good for me as I finally had the opportunity to stop for a much needed 'call of nature' and also to search in my backpack for some food, then catch up again before the summit. The summit which incidentally he only 'lost' a couple of minutes despite the problems.
We encountered a problem at Broad Stand when Iain, our navigator and a skilled climber was unable to scale the rock to rig up a rope to assist mine and Stu's ascent. It was just too wet and greasy for Iain to get a firm enough handhold so he shouted down that we should forget this option. We had to lose a lot of height that then needed to be regained as we took the Foxes Tarn route. After this we dropped down thousands of feet to Wasdale, enjoying the climbing temperature's and improving views as we dropped out of the clag, riding the scree in the gullies
Wasdale is where I left Stu to carry on with his epic day. I was nowhere near as tired as I expected to be, and as ever, I pondered whether or not I could do the BGR myself one day.
This morning I made up for yesterdays early start by staying in bed for a total of 10 hours. I walked the dog long and then ran an easy 7 miles.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
So will this
5 miles hard - under 30 minutes
Just prior to leaving the house I had to take down my garden umbrella lest it blow away in the wind. So I knew we were in for a tough time during one half of the run. By we I mean me and Darren, who I met near the start point.
Bearing in mind that I wanted to run just inside 6 minute miling, a tailwind as we set out meant we had to aim higher to allow for a slower return leg in to the headwind. I thought 5:45 would be about right and at the 2 mile marker my watch showed 11:36. Spot on.
We turned when Darrens Garmin showed 2.5 miles covered and I timed the same 2 mile section on the way back. If it took 12:24 the average would be 6:00 so I was hoping to be only a few seconds over 12 minutes. I was amazed to be finished in 11:42. Only 6 seconds longer than with the tailwind, though it was marginally downhill back. This gives a four mile time of 23:18 (5:50 pace). Darrens Garmin showed a discrepancy between the mile markers but my time for 5 miles by his (it's) reckoning was 29:40 (5:56 pace). Under 30 minutes then, whichever I believe.
In about 6 weeks time this run will be a weekly occurrence and will build from 6 miles to eventually 10 miles, so I am pleased to have achieved the target pace today. Next week I may do 6 miles. The week after that will be a 10k event which I in which I think I should achieve 5:40 pace (35mins 13 seconds)
Just prior to leaving the house I had to take down my garden umbrella lest it blow away in the wind. So I knew we were in for a tough time during one half of the run. By we I mean me and Darren, who I met near the start point.
Bearing in mind that I wanted to run just inside 6 minute miling, a tailwind as we set out meant we had to aim higher to allow for a slower return leg in to the headwind. I thought 5:45 would be about right and at the 2 mile marker my watch showed 11:36. Spot on.
We turned when Darrens Garmin showed 2.5 miles covered and I timed the same 2 mile section on the way back. If it took 12:24 the average would be 6:00 so I was hoping to be only a few seconds over 12 minutes. I was amazed to be finished in 11:42. Only 6 seconds longer than with the tailwind, though it was marginally downhill back. This gives a four mile time of 23:18 (5:50 pace). Darrens Garmin showed a discrepancy between the mile markers but my time for 5 miles by his (it's) reckoning was 29:40 (5:56 pace). Under 30 minutes then, whichever I believe.
In about 6 weeks time this run will be a weekly occurrence and will build from 6 miles to eventually 10 miles, so I am pleased to have achieved the target pace today. Next week I may do 6 miles. The week after that will be a 10k event which I in which I think I should achieve 5:40 pace (35mins 13 seconds)
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
This will make me faster
4 miles of reps
1 mile - 5:50
1 mile - 5:30
2miles (running 2mins hard 1 min stationary recovery) - 9:58
Very happy indeed with tonight's session. Running faster like this will make me a faster runner. Seems an obvious thing to say but its a fundamental point in a training program that can easily be forgotten.
The first mile was more uphill than down, it was also headwind and I wasn't particularly well warmed up, so 5:50 is not a bad time at all. The second mile was still headwind (not strong) but more or less flat. I was surprised to run 5:30 as I wasn't really 'going for it' because it was the ensuing 2 miles that I really wanted to run as hard as I could.
Five 2 minute bursts with 1 minute stationary recoveries (stationary meaning I restart where I got to in the 2 minutes - rather than jogging or walking further on, but I do move around a bit - it's not a game of statues). As with the 3 mile session last Thursday this gives a time for the 2 miles. I knew I would run a fast time as long as I could maintain the effort in the fourth and fifth reps. They were the ones that proved really tough, as, just as expected, I was operating way way beyond my comfort zone. The one minute recovery seemed ridiculously short by the time I had covered the first mile back, but conversely, by the time I was properly into each effort they soon seemed to be over with too. With about a minute to go I realised I may well go under the magic 10 minute barrier and am utterly delighted to have ran 4:59 pace for the two miles. OK it featured 4 separate rests of 60 seconds but nevertheless it's a step in the right direction. I did once run a mile non stop inside 5 minutes. I probably never will again but it's nice to get a result starting with a number 4.
Thursday needs to be another hard session but at at a different pace to tonight so i'm thinking of doing 5 miles in 30 minutes. Or ideally in 29mins 59 seconds.
Yesterday (Monday) was a very short jog with Scamp - scarcely 4 miles - but it keeps me in the routine of running 6 days per week.
Sunday was an awful day for running. It was red hot, around 24 degrees C. After putting it off in the hope of rain I finally ventured onto my 13 mile road circuit. The first eight miles were good - sub 6:30 minute miling without trying and not too troubled by the heat. Unfortunately I forgot to collect a bottle of water I had placed near the 10 mile point. I had past it by 150 metres when I remembered but couldn't be bothered to turn around as I felt OK and 'only' had 3 miles to go. BIG MISTAKE INDI'. Those final couple of miles were sheer hell. I don't ever recall being so pleased to stop running as I was when I crossed my 'finish line'. 1hr 26m 15s is something like 6:37 per mile, so I lost a lot of time in those final miles, despite being overall downhill.
Saturday was back to the familiar pattern of 2 laps of Gelt. Darren was with me and we took it easy for lap 1. Two weeks ago we ran a short 33 minute lap for our second and I was confident I could beat that time by at least a minute on this occasion. I ran steady from the off and put in decent efforts whenever the gradient was against me, really powering over all the small, sharp rises. This was sufficient to drop Darren after 10 minutes, though to be fair he was complaining of still feeling the effects on his chest of a recent cold. 31:52 is a good time which I am pleased with. I would like to run a lap with someone faster than me to really test me and see what I could achieve at 100% with my current fitness.
No pertinant images with regard to todays post so this gives me a chance to go off topic and give some publicity to my brother Jason - taken on the way off Fairfield last Christmas time.
1 mile - 5:50
1 mile - 5:30
2miles (running 2mins hard 1 min stationary recovery) - 9:58
Very happy indeed with tonight's session. Running faster like this will make me a faster runner. Seems an obvious thing to say but its a fundamental point in a training program that can easily be forgotten.
The first mile was more uphill than down, it was also headwind and I wasn't particularly well warmed up, so 5:50 is not a bad time at all. The second mile was still headwind (not strong) but more or less flat. I was surprised to run 5:30 as I wasn't really 'going for it' because it was the ensuing 2 miles that I really wanted to run as hard as I could.
Five 2 minute bursts with 1 minute stationary recoveries (stationary meaning I restart where I got to in the 2 minutes - rather than jogging or walking further on, but I do move around a bit - it's not a game of statues). As with the 3 mile session last Thursday this gives a time for the 2 miles. I knew I would run a fast time as long as I could maintain the effort in the fourth and fifth reps. They were the ones that proved really tough, as, just as expected, I was operating way way beyond my comfort zone. The one minute recovery seemed ridiculously short by the time I had covered the first mile back, but conversely, by the time I was properly into each effort they soon seemed to be over with too. With about a minute to go I realised I may well go under the magic 10 minute barrier and am utterly delighted to have ran 4:59 pace for the two miles. OK it featured 4 separate rests of 60 seconds but nevertheless it's a step in the right direction. I did once run a mile non stop inside 5 minutes. I probably never will again but it's nice to get a result starting with a number 4.
Thursday needs to be another hard session but at at a different pace to tonight so i'm thinking of doing 5 miles in 30 minutes. Or ideally in 29mins 59 seconds.
Yesterday (Monday) was a very short jog with Scamp - scarcely 4 miles - but it keeps me in the routine of running 6 days per week.
Sunday was an awful day for running. It was red hot, around 24 degrees C. After putting it off in the hope of rain I finally ventured onto my 13 mile road circuit. The first eight miles were good - sub 6:30 minute miling without trying and not too troubled by the heat. Unfortunately I forgot to collect a bottle of water I had placed near the 10 mile point. I had past it by 150 metres when I remembered but couldn't be bothered to turn around as I felt OK and 'only' had 3 miles to go. BIG MISTAKE INDI'. Those final couple of miles were sheer hell. I don't ever recall being so pleased to stop running as I was when I crossed my 'finish line'. 1hr 26m 15s is something like 6:37 per mile, so I lost a lot of time in those final miles, despite being overall downhill.
Saturday was back to the familiar pattern of 2 laps of Gelt. Darren was with me and we took it easy for lap 1. Two weeks ago we ran a short 33 minute lap for our second and I was confident I could beat that time by at least a minute on this occasion. I ran steady from the off and put in decent efforts whenever the gradient was against me, really powering over all the small, sharp rises. This was sufficient to drop Darren after 10 minutes, though to be fair he was complaining of still feeling the effects on his chest of a recent cold. 31:52 is a good time which I am pleased with. I would like to run a lap with someone faster than me to really test me and see what I could achieve at 100% with my current fitness.
No pertinant images with regard to todays post so this gives me a chance to go off topic and give some publicity to my brother Jason - taken on the way off Fairfield last Christmas time.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Less than 16 minutes
Last week I took something like 16:09 to complete the 3 mile route of intervals. Last night I ran it inside 16 minutes. 15.51 actually, which must be 5:17 pace per mile. Back in the day, my best ever time for this session was 15:05 (though I may have had just 60 seconds recoveries then - for now I'm taking 90 seconds). Things (speed) are going in the direction at least. I am about 15 seconds per mile slower than at my best ever. If I can reduce this to just 10 seconds per mile then I should regularly be back into the 34 minute 10k's (I used to run 34's on every route, even hilly ones, and on many occasions 33's if the course was a good one).
Looking on the Cumberland AC website for the results of Tuesdays race it was nice to stumble across the result from 2003 when I won in 34:05. I didn't even remember running the race until I got to the venue and it all looked a bit familiar. It got me into thinking about how many races I did actually win. There was the Langdale Marathon, Carlisle Rugby Club 10k, Langholm Doctors Run, Moorclose, Chivers Challenge, and several of Derwent AC's low-key midweek events which formed a summer long series that I won two years in succession. There was also a Duathlon I won in about 2005 or 6. Glory days indeed.
One minor blip on the horizon has to be my sore right foot. About 4 years ago I had plantar fasciitus which stopped me from running for a short while. The issue was rectified by the remarkable skills of Mr Jerret, my local physio' who got me to run with some off-the-shelf orthotic inserts. Since then I have always worn them in my everyday footwear (workboots) and I have often noticed that when I don't wear them for a while (such as when on holiday), my foot hurts a bit. Since last summer it has hurt again, going from mild and scarcely noticeable to now being quite painful most of the time. Luckily it didn't hurt when running (although clearly, running made it worse afterwards), but now it does hurt when running so I have been doing the stretches I was taught, every morning, night and anytime inbetween where I am on a step. I also took a closer look at the inserts and after so many years they have actually become quite flat on the bottom - the little wedges stuck to the base to throw my landing foot in a slightly altered manner were no longer doing their job. I have ordered a new pair if inserts and am hopeful they will quickly resolve this issue - ideally before July when I will resume the 50-60 mile weeks.
Scamp stars top and bottom today. It was too hot for him in the van so I tied him under a shady tree. At dinner time he looked so cute I took a quick snap of his upsidedown-ness
Looking on the Cumberland AC website for the results of Tuesdays race it was nice to stumble across the result from 2003 when I won in 34:05. I didn't even remember running the race until I got to the venue and it all looked a bit familiar. It got me into thinking about how many races I did actually win. There was the Langdale Marathon, Carlisle Rugby Club 10k, Langholm Doctors Run, Moorclose, Chivers Challenge, and several of Derwent AC's low-key midweek events which formed a summer long series that I won two years in succession. There was also a Duathlon I won in about 2005 or 6. Glory days indeed.
One minor blip on the horizon has to be my sore right foot. About 4 years ago I had plantar fasciitus which stopped me from running for a short while. The issue was rectified by the remarkable skills of Mr Jerret, my local physio' who got me to run with some off-the-shelf orthotic inserts. Since then I have always worn them in my everyday footwear (workboots) and I have often noticed that when I don't wear them for a while (such as when on holiday), my foot hurts a bit. Since last summer it has hurt again, going from mild and scarcely noticeable to now being quite painful most of the time. Luckily it didn't hurt when running (although clearly, running made it worse afterwards), but now it does hurt when running so I have been doing the stretches I was taught, every morning, night and anytime inbetween where I am on a step. I also took a closer look at the inserts and after so many years they have actually become quite flat on the bottom - the little wedges stuck to the base to throw my landing foot in a slightly altered manner were no longer doing their job. I have ordered a new pair if inserts and am hopeful they will quickly resolve this issue - ideally before July when I will resume the 50-60 mile weeks.
Scamp stars top and bottom today. It was too hot for him in the van so I tied him under a shady tree. At dinner time he looked so cute I took a quick snap of his upsidedown-ness
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Pluckys arse
Initially I was happy enough with my time of 35:48 for tonights 10k race. I had hoped to be nearer 35:30 but I thought I'd done OK. But then I received some criticism from Plucky who suggested my result was rather short of the mark and my aim of running sub 35 later in the year was also too soft a target.
Now clearly I would love to be regularly running 34 minute 10k's again but i am realistic and I know this isn't likely to happen when I train so specifically for marathons. I have no doubt I could get well into the 34s if I concentrated my efforts on shorter, faster workouts, but any 34 would be my fastest time in about 4 years or so, so I think the criticism is a little harsh.
If I enter 35:48 in a race time predictor it spits out a 2:44:30 prediction for a marathon, which is very close to the time I was heading for until I fell apart at 20miles in London.
Enter my actual time for London and it predicts 36:22 for 10k. My faster time tonight proves that I didn't run to my ability in London, especially as you would never really hope to run both a marathon and a 10k to your ultimate potential within just 3 weeks of each other.
Heres another result from the predictor. 34:59 for a 10k gives a marathon of 2:40:51. Both those times are within a few seconds of my ultimate aim for those distances this year, so I reckon my targets are spot on (and perhaps, ultimately out of my grasp this year).
Now clearly I would love to be regularly running 34 minute 10k's again but i am realistic and I know this isn't likely to happen when I train so specifically for marathons. I have no doubt I could get well into the 34s if I concentrated my efforts on shorter, faster workouts, but any 34 would be my fastest time in about 4 years or so, so I think the criticism is a little harsh.
If I enter 35:48 in a race time predictor it spits out a 2:44:30 prediction for a marathon, which is very close to the time I was heading for until I fell apart at 20miles in London.
Enter my actual time for London and it predicts 36:22 for 10k. My faster time tonight proves that I didn't run to my ability in London, especially as you would never really hope to run both a marathon and a 10k to your ultimate potential within just 3 weeks of each other.
Heres another result from the predictor. 34:59 for a 10k gives a marathon of 2:40:51. Both those times are within a few seconds of my ultimate aim for those distances this year, so I reckon my targets are spot on (and perhaps, ultimately out of my grasp this year).
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Monaco GP Weekend
Saturday, after a long walk with the dogs I ran the 10 mile circuit. I wanted to run it in a similar fashion to the usual Saturday run through Gelt (easy lap/hard lap) so I took it fairly steady to the turn then upped the pace considerably for the return. Trouble was - a tailwind all the way out gave a reasonable time (33:08) with just a steady effort input. To come back quicker would take some doing into the stiff breeze. Running faster shouldn't have mattered of course, as long as the effort was increased. However, I ran very hard indeed to record 64:48 which I think must be 31:40 for the return 5 headwind miles. In July, when I begin my marathon schedule, I will be aiming to run 6:10 pace for 10, 12, eventually 18 miles. That would be 61:40 for 10 miles which I think I could have ran today (3mins 8 faster), although that would be the main session of the weekend with the other day being much less intense.
As it was, I ran my main session today (Sunday). Two laps of the Talkin circuit.
Lap one I had Scamp with me on a stretchy lead. He didnt slow me up at all (or pull me along) but for some reason I only ran 45:50 for the lap. Very slow. Lap two, and with Scamp back in the van I deliberately set off at pace. Running the downhills and flatter sections at effort then taking it much easier up the main climbs I recorded 42:55. More like it although sub 43 is the kind of time I will be looking to run for every lap once I'm in 'Loch Ness mode' come July.
Todays photo is of the Daisy who now has a new owner and a new name. Various factors led me to take the decision to rehome her. I miss her terribly but hopefully I've done what's best for her, me and Scamp.
As it was, I ran my main session today (Sunday). Two laps of the Talkin circuit.
Lap one I had Scamp with me on a stretchy lead. He didnt slow me up at all (or pull me along) but for some reason I only ran 45:50 for the lap. Very slow. Lap two, and with Scamp back in the van I deliberately set off at pace. Running the downhills and flatter sections at effort then taking it much easier up the main climbs I recorded 42:55. More like it although sub 43 is the kind of time I will be looking to run for every lap once I'm in 'Loch Ness mode' come July.
Todays photo is of the Daisy who now has a new owner and a new name. Various factors led me to take the decision to rehome her. I miss her terribly but hopefully I've done what's best for her, me and Scamp.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
First reps
My first reps since the marathon completed tonight.
Nothing too long or arduous for this week- a three mile circuit covered in 5 intervals of 3 mins with 90 sec recoveries. The recovery is stationary so the next rep begins where the previous one finished. This gives a time for the three miles and my time tonight was 16minutes 13 seconds. My best time for this is 15:09 so I'm currently about 20 seconds per mile slower than my best ever fitness (of 2002-04). I would hope to soon pick up 5 to 10 seconds per mile though, given that tonight was my first run inside 6min/miling since the marathon (and I also still had a minor lingering legacy of leg soreness from Sunday)
Additionally tonight, I ran to the local takeaway to collect my tea. I'm not sure I can count this as part of my training though. I would usually walk or drive but I didnt have a vehicle to go in and it was quite cold and threatening rain so I thought jogging (in very worn trainers, jeans and a thick jumper) would be a good idea. To be honest it was a damn fine idea as it kept me warm on the way there and meant I got to eat my tea much sooner than if I had walked back.
I have now ran EVERY DAY for a full week - that Ron Hill bloke better watch out.
And finally, todays photo.
The Staten Island Ferry. Which offers free travel between Manhatten and Staten Island
Nothing too long or arduous for this week- a three mile circuit covered in 5 intervals of 3 mins with 90 sec recoveries. The recovery is stationary so the next rep begins where the previous one finished. This gives a time for the three miles and my time tonight was 16minutes 13 seconds. My best time for this is 15:09 so I'm currently about 20 seconds per mile slower than my best ever fitness (of 2002-04). I would hope to soon pick up 5 to 10 seconds per mile though, given that tonight was my first run inside 6min/miling since the marathon (and I also still had a minor lingering legacy of leg soreness from Sunday)
Additionally tonight, I ran to the local takeaway to collect my tea. I'm not sure I can count this as part of my training though. I would usually walk or drive but I didnt have a vehicle to go in and it was quite cold and threatening rain so I thought jogging (in very worn trainers, jeans and a thick jumper) would be a good idea. To be honest it was a damn fine idea as it kept me warm on the way there and meant I got to eat my tea much sooner than if I had walked back.
I have now ran EVERY DAY for a full week - that Ron Hill bloke better watch out.
And finally, todays photo.
The Staten Island Ferry. Which offers free travel between Manhatten and Staten Island
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Sore legs and a missing 50
It's Wednesday evening and my legs are still damn sore from the downhills encountered on Sunday gone. Because of the soreness I felt on Monday I made a decision then to complete this weeks one and only 'session' on Thursday (tomorrow), by when, hopefully, they will be less sore and I will therefore be better able to run hard and well.
Are you managing to follow this? 'cos it gets even more complicated....
So, not wanting to just do easy runs all week (after all my two week 'holiday period' is over) on Tuesday, (knowing that Wednesday would be an easy short run) I completed a reasonable pace 7 miler. No watch worn but I estimate I was running at 6:30 pace effort which, with such bad legs probably only equalled 6:40 pace.
And finally to Wednesday. Walking home with two dogs I thought I might walk short then also take them running with me on a river route. I was enjoying the walk and actually decided to make the walk extra long and then follow it up with a short run on my own. So 1hr 45 walking - 35mins running.
So far on track for 6 days running this week. It's many a year since I regularly ran 6 days per week. I'm not TOO concerned about hitting that target every single week up to Loch Ness marathon, but I may as well start as I hope to go on.
And finally (again) I have to report that this year I will not be making a return to the Lakes 50 mile offroad ultra. I wanted to do it to try and beat 10 hours (took me 12hrs last year). But with various things happening (wedding mainly) and also training 'properly' for a second marathon (I usually just train ad-hoc and hope to run anywhere inside 3hrs), something had to give and it's the 50.
And finally finally, to uphold interest in any cowboys among my readers who may struggle with the text, the photo to accompany todays entry is me one hot day in July 2007. Nothing to do with the post but I dont think there needs to be really
Monday, May 10, 2010
Ow me legs (are sore today)
Fellrun yesterday. I joined the Ugly Cowboy himself on a trip over leg two of the BGR. Stu had already ran leg one before I met up with him. This made it much easier for me to manage to keep up with the tremendous pace he always sets.
Not a bad day weatherwise - although we did have a brief spell in clag around Helvellyn Lower Man, along with a spattering of hail. (I noted this morning that a fresh blanket of snow had laid overnight on the high peaks.) I dont think either of us realised this at the time but the prevailing wind yesterday was from the North so we were very fortunate to spend the day running South. The leg was completed in 3hrs 20mins - much too quick really for anyone hoping to complete the full round in 22-23 hours. Stu will need to reign himself in on his day. Despite running nearly twice the distance I had, Stu ran away from me on the final descent (Seat Sandal) down to the waiting car. He's not especially good at downhills but I descended like a girl yesterday. The braking effect is certainly the cause of my very sore legs today.
My regime for Loch Ness will see me running 6 days per week (from 5 currently) so tonight I turned up at the local leisure centre where Millys dad has a group of 'less pacey' athletes. Milly was also in attendance so we pretty much ran off on our own from the start. We had a good crack and covered 5 or 6 or 7 miles - I've really no idea how far we ran, it was a very pleasant, cool evening, perfect for a steady jog.
And here is the man himself.
Obviously this photo can't explain why he is known as a cowboy.
Not a bad day weatherwise - although we did have a brief spell in clag around Helvellyn Lower Man, along with a spattering of hail. (I noted this morning that a fresh blanket of snow had laid overnight on the high peaks.) I dont think either of us realised this at the time but the prevailing wind yesterday was from the North so we were very fortunate to spend the day running South. The leg was completed in 3hrs 20mins - much too quick really for anyone hoping to complete the full round in 22-23 hours. Stu will need to reign himself in on his day. Despite running nearly twice the distance I had, Stu ran away from me on the final descent (Seat Sandal) down to the waiting car. He's not especially good at downhills but I descended like a girl yesterday. The braking effect is certainly the cause of my very sore legs today.
My regime for Loch Ness will see me running 6 days per week (from 5 currently) so tonight I turned up at the local leisure centre where Millys dad has a group of 'less pacey' athletes. Milly was also in attendance so we pretty much ran off on our own from the start. We had a good crack and covered 5 or 6 or 7 miles - I've really no idea how far we ran, it was a very pleasant, cool evening, perfect for a steady jog.
And here is the man himself.
Obviously this photo can't explain why he is known as a cowboy.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Two weeks on
Well, with a fast lap of Gelt this morning thats my two week 'training holiday' over. Just myself and Darren running - after a very short warm up we ran at a fairly brisk pace to record 32:05. Not bad at all - would certainly be under 31 given a better warmup and once I'm back into regular training.
I probably ran 5 or 6 times in the two weeks I had off. Next week will be nearly back to normal with one session and a couple of other decent pace (or length) runs in the week. I don't have any plan or schedule for the next couple of months training. I intend to race often - mainly midweek when possible to free up the weekends for endurance training such as long road runs or hopefully fell running. Then, once theres only 13 weeks to go until Loch Ness Marathon I will resume a strict training schedule devised mainly by myself to bring home a decent result from Scotland.
I probably ran 5 or 6 times in the two weeks I had off. Next week will be nearly back to normal with one session and a couple of other decent pace (or length) runs in the week. I don't have any plan or schedule for the next couple of months training. I intend to race often - mainly midweek when possible to free up the weekends for endurance training such as long road runs or hopefully fell running. Then, once theres only 13 weeks to go until Loch Ness Marathon I will resume a strict training schedule devised mainly by myself to bring home a decent result from Scotland.
Monday, May 3, 2010
The inaugural Virgin London Marathon
My weekend in London for the Marathon was immensely enjoyable. I met up with some old friends, enjoyed some sightseeing in the warm sunshine and had an absolute ball running the race itself (well, most of it)
Late Friday afternoon I visited the expo to collect my number and timing chip. I didn't spend very long there as there was nothing I particularly wanted to buy or look at. I was considering buying some more sunglasses as the ones I use to run in are very comfortable indeed. I didn't get any but really wish I had because somewhere on Sunday afternoon I lost mine so now I have none!
In the evening I met up with an old pal Gary and his (taller)mate Ben who, being real ale connoisseurs, were holed up at an ancient pub in the city.
Saturday morning I slept late and then went straight out for a short run in the park at Russell Square. I was back in my hotel eating breakfast less than 30 minutes after leaving - my shortest run of the year - including 6 short efforts/sprints. The rest of Saturday I spent mainly sitting on an open topped bus doing the tourist option.
By about 6pm I called into my favourite Japanese restaurant (It's actually the only Japanese restaurantI know and I always go to it for my pre-London marathon meal as I know the curry is a) delicious b) enormous, and c)not going to upset my system.) My hotel was only a short walk from the restaurant but on the way I called into a supermarket for some more supplies - a small trifle for pudding, some chocolate covered Brazil nuts, a couple of smoothies and two bananas for breakfast in case the hotel didn't supply fruit. I also bought (and ate) a bag of crisps. As a rule I don't eat crisps unless I am on holiday and I was sort of on holiday.
Being so warm on the Friday and Saturday, and with the same predicted for Sunday I was struggling not to think of the race in negative terms, as I never run well in hot sunny conditions. Early Sunday morning arrived cool and overcast - a good start. As I walked to the train in Charing Cross station I spotted Wes just ahead of me. I hadn't seen him for a while and we spent the cramped journey chatting about marathons, Ultras and ice baths. Arriving at Blackheath where the race starts, we soon located Milly, his dad Keith and the other Carlisle contingent who had travelled down to run/watch. The weather remained cool but with some tiny spots of rain also falling intermittently. Then about 45 mins before we were due to run the heavens opened and it rained very hard indeed. This also reduced the temp some more and it became pretty damn cold for anyone wearing shorts and a vest (about 30,000 + people on this particular morning). Entering the starting pen with Milly, he was actually shaking with the cold. Luckily it soon faired up and being so tightly packed into a small space with hundreds of other runners we were soon warm enough again.
Milly and Wes on Blackheath
The final few minutes were spent wishing each other a good run and also confirming the plan that we would each forget the other was also racing and just to run our own race. Then we were off. Despite starting where I thought was pretty near the front, I had to duck and dive to make my way past hundreds of people in the first mile. This wasn't due to me starting out too fast (as usual), my time at mile 1 was a pedestrian 6:37. Mile 2 came by a little quicker, about 6:20 ish and by mile 3 I was settled into a good pace, still overtaking people by the dozen but not struggling to find a way past now. Theres a fast (downhill) mile at 4 and I was sub 6 for it but then immediately settled back to the steady pace of 6:15s-6:20s.
I knew Keith was going to be at Cutty Sark but I didn't spot him in the crowd until I had just passed when I heard him yell my name. I turned and spotted him but was too late to wave. The miles clicked by and by about 8 I had a vague feeling of getting a stitch. By mile 10 I could tell I wasn't going to run anywhere near 2:40. At this stage of a marathon I would expect to be feeling still very fresh and ready to strike out after halfway. This wasn't how I was feeling this time though and I thought I had better up the input effort before I began to naturally slow down. I knew this might result in paying for my efforts sooner than normal but I had to give it a try. My splits show I ran very evenly from 11 miles until 19 miles and was heading for a finish of 2:43. By mile 20 though I was spent and knew I would no longer keep up that pace. The question was - how much would I slow down? I didn't really want it but at 21 I ate a gel because I thought I should. This brought on the stitch properly and I really struggled to maintain any decent form or pace to the end. I was never in any doubt that I would finish, and I was still passing people, but a few were passing me too.
With less than half a mile to go I looked out for team Millican who always stand at the same spot. I saw them in plenty of time to wave and they took plenty of photos.
Milly also played the crowd at the same point.
I crossed the finish line 2 hours 47 minutes 13 seconds after I crossed the start line. Not a great result really, 11 minutes slower than my PB and several minutes slower than I expected to run. But on the positive - I was 366th which is more or less the top 1% of finishers of a major international event. (That is what I tell people who ask how I did).
After I crossed the line, been given a finishers medal and had my chip removed I took off my shoes to enjoy the cold wet tarmac while I waited for Milly to come in. It was a tense time. Not to beat 3 hours would be enormously disappointing for him and not to finish at all (as last year) would have taken a lot to come back from. I had wondered if, during my appalling last few miles if he might catch and pass me. After what seemed like much more than 10 minutes I saw him climb up onto the platform to have his chip removed. It wasn't yet 12:45pm so I knew he had beaten 3hrs. I rushed over to congratulate him, ignoring the officials who were trying to keep people moving toward the baggage lorries. We had photographs taken (cant put it up here yet as I will need to buy it from VLM) and slowly walked out to collect our bags and get changed. Briefly we discussed why we had both been so slow compared to training runs and all predictions. Milly hadn't had a particularly bad day - he just hadn't felt great and found the whole race a bit of a struggle.
My hotel was nearby and as I walked through Trafalgar Square I remembered what Wes had said about ice baths. I climbed onto the ledge at the side of the fountain and put my feet and legs in up to the knees. The water was unbearable cold but I persisted as long as I could then went again after a spell in the sun. Back at my hotel I got in the shower and put it from hot to cold many times (although only up as far as my thighs). The next hour or so commuting to Euston I deliberately climbed stairs rather than stand on escalators and walked quickly in a bid to keep muscles from seizing up. I think this worked for me because although I was a bit sore on Monday, by Tuesday I felt completely normal.
By Monday evening I was looking for the next marathon. To complete the 5 World Marathon Majors I still need to complete Berlin and Chicago. Both are full! They weren't full when I last checked and I am really annoyed not to have entered Berlin a few weeks ago. I have entered Loch Ness Marathon on 3rd October. The course is reported to be reasonably fast I believe, with a 700ft drop overall but a decent hill to climb at 22miles.
By Wednesday I felt like going running. Keen to avoid doing too much I took the dogs for a jog down the river. I probably covered 4 miles but with lots of stops and at a very easy pace. On Saturday I went to Gelt where I ran a very easy lap. On Sunday I ran with the dogs again and today I ran 'properly' for the first time, completing my 7mile circuit at a very easy pace.
I shall spend next week still taking it very easy with nothing specifically planned, just see what each day brings.
Late Friday afternoon I visited the expo to collect my number and timing chip. I didn't spend very long there as there was nothing I particularly wanted to buy or look at. I was considering buying some more sunglasses as the ones I use to run in are very comfortable indeed. I didn't get any but really wish I had because somewhere on Sunday afternoon I lost mine so now I have none!
In the evening I met up with an old pal Gary and his (taller)mate Ben who, being real ale connoisseurs, were holed up at an ancient pub in the city.
Saturday morning I slept late and then went straight out for a short run in the park at Russell Square. I was back in my hotel eating breakfast less than 30 minutes after leaving - my shortest run of the year - including 6 short efforts/sprints. The rest of Saturday I spent mainly sitting on an open topped bus doing the tourist option.
By about 6pm I called into my favourite Japanese restaurant (It's actually the only Japanese restaurantI know and I always go to it for my pre-London marathon meal as I know the curry is a) delicious b) enormous, and c)not going to upset my system.) My hotel was only a short walk from the restaurant but on the way I called into a supermarket for some more supplies - a small trifle for pudding, some chocolate covered Brazil nuts, a couple of smoothies and two bananas for breakfast in case the hotel didn't supply fruit. I also bought (and ate) a bag of crisps. As a rule I don't eat crisps unless I am on holiday and I was sort of on holiday.
Being so warm on the Friday and Saturday, and with the same predicted for Sunday I was struggling not to think of the race in negative terms, as I never run well in hot sunny conditions. Early Sunday morning arrived cool and overcast - a good start. As I walked to the train in Charing Cross station I spotted Wes just ahead of me. I hadn't seen him for a while and we spent the cramped journey chatting about marathons, Ultras and ice baths. Arriving at Blackheath where the race starts, we soon located Milly, his dad Keith and the other Carlisle contingent who had travelled down to run/watch. The weather remained cool but with some tiny spots of rain also falling intermittently. Then about 45 mins before we were due to run the heavens opened and it rained very hard indeed. This also reduced the temp some more and it became pretty damn cold for anyone wearing shorts and a vest (about 30,000 + people on this particular morning). Entering the starting pen with Milly, he was actually shaking with the cold. Luckily it soon faired up and being so tightly packed into a small space with hundreds of other runners we were soon warm enough again.
Milly and Wes on Blackheath
The final few minutes were spent wishing each other a good run and also confirming the plan that we would each forget the other was also racing and just to run our own race. Then we were off. Despite starting where I thought was pretty near the front, I had to duck and dive to make my way past hundreds of people in the first mile. This wasn't due to me starting out too fast (as usual), my time at mile 1 was a pedestrian 6:37. Mile 2 came by a little quicker, about 6:20 ish and by mile 3 I was settled into a good pace, still overtaking people by the dozen but not struggling to find a way past now. Theres a fast (downhill) mile at 4 and I was sub 6 for it but then immediately settled back to the steady pace of 6:15s-6:20s.
I knew Keith was going to be at Cutty Sark but I didn't spot him in the crowd until I had just passed when I heard him yell my name. I turned and spotted him but was too late to wave. The miles clicked by and by about 8 I had a vague feeling of getting a stitch. By mile 10 I could tell I wasn't going to run anywhere near 2:40. At this stage of a marathon I would expect to be feeling still very fresh and ready to strike out after halfway. This wasn't how I was feeling this time though and I thought I had better up the input effort before I began to naturally slow down. I knew this might result in paying for my efforts sooner than normal but I had to give it a try. My splits show I ran very evenly from 11 miles until 19 miles and was heading for a finish of 2:43. By mile 20 though I was spent and knew I would no longer keep up that pace. The question was - how much would I slow down? I didn't really want it but at 21 I ate a gel because I thought I should. This brought on the stitch properly and I really struggled to maintain any decent form or pace to the end. I was never in any doubt that I would finish, and I was still passing people, but a few were passing me too.
With less than half a mile to go I looked out for team Millican who always stand at the same spot. I saw them in plenty of time to wave and they took plenty of photos.
Milly also played the crowd at the same point.
I crossed the finish line 2 hours 47 minutes 13 seconds after I crossed the start line. Not a great result really, 11 minutes slower than my PB and several minutes slower than I expected to run. But on the positive - I was 366th which is more or less the top 1% of finishers of a major international event. (That is what I tell people who ask how I did).
After I crossed the line, been given a finishers medal and had my chip removed I took off my shoes to enjoy the cold wet tarmac while I waited for Milly to come in. It was a tense time. Not to beat 3 hours would be enormously disappointing for him and not to finish at all (as last year) would have taken a lot to come back from. I had wondered if, during my appalling last few miles if he might catch and pass me. After what seemed like much more than 10 minutes I saw him climb up onto the platform to have his chip removed. It wasn't yet 12:45pm so I knew he had beaten 3hrs. I rushed over to congratulate him, ignoring the officials who were trying to keep people moving toward the baggage lorries. We had photographs taken (cant put it up here yet as I will need to buy it from VLM) and slowly walked out to collect our bags and get changed. Briefly we discussed why we had both been so slow compared to training runs and all predictions. Milly hadn't had a particularly bad day - he just hadn't felt great and found the whole race a bit of a struggle.
My hotel was nearby and as I walked through Trafalgar Square I remembered what Wes had said about ice baths. I climbed onto the ledge at the side of the fountain and put my feet and legs in up to the knees. The water was unbearable cold but I persisted as long as I could then went again after a spell in the sun. Back at my hotel I got in the shower and put it from hot to cold many times (although only up as far as my thighs). The next hour or so commuting to Euston I deliberately climbed stairs rather than stand on escalators and walked quickly in a bid to keep muscles from seizing up. I think this worked for me because although I was a bit sore on Monday, by Tuesday I felt completely normal.
By Monday evening I was looking for the next marathon. To complete the 5 World Marathon Majors I still need to complete Berlin and Chicago. Both are full! They weren't full when I last checked and I am really annoyed not to have entered Berlin a few weeks ago. I have entered Loch Ness Marathon on 3rd October. The course is reported to be reasonably fast I believe, with a 700ft drop overall but a decent hill to climb at 22miles.
By Wednesday I felt like going running. Keen to avoid doing too much I took the dogs for a jog down the river. I probably covered 4 miles but with lots of stops and at a very easy pace. On Saturday I went to Gelt where I ran a very easy lap. On Sunday I ran with the dogs again and today I ran 'properly' for the first time, completing my 7mile circuit at a very easy pace.
I shall spend next week still taking it very easy with nothing specifically planned, just see what each day brings.
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